


Missing Scene: Post Sentinel Too, Part 2

by dbw



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Episode Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-19
Updated: 2009-11-19
Packaged: 2017-10-03 08:53:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dbw/pseuds/dbw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A missing scene that takes place several hours after "Sentinel Too, Part 2"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Missing Scene: Post Sentinel Too, Part 2

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted June 2003

Simon Banks tossed his paperback onto the nightstand and cursed under his breath. It had been a hell of a couple of weeks and his body was so exhausted that he shouldn't be able to keep his eyes open. Unfortunately, no one had informed his brain that it was okay to shut down now. He shook his head and wondered why he'd thought reading the latest thriller about saving the world from international terrorists would relax him after they'd just rescued canisters of nerve gas from a criminal sentinel. He'd consider himself lucky if he came away from this experience without more nightmares.

A walk in the balmy night air sounded far more appealing than lying there tossing and turning, so he pulled on shorts and a shirt, slipped his feet into a pair of sandals and left his room. As he approached the hotel lobby he heard voices raised in argument instead of the peaceful silence he'd expected at that hour of the night. He couldn't quite make out the words, but as he came closer he recognized the voices of his two detectives, Jim Ellison and Megan Connor.

Simon wondered what they were haranguing the poor desk clerk about and then frowned as he realized that theirs were the only voices he could hear. When he was finally close enough to make out what they were saying, he shook his head. They were arguing with each other about what time the car they'd hired to take them to the airport should pick them up in the morning in order to be able to make their flight back to the States.

He sighed. While he felt for the poor beleaguered clerk, he had no intention of getting involved in this particular fight. Let the two of them duke it out and then retire to their respective rooms to lick their wounds. All he wanted was a little peace and quiet. With that thought, Simon slipped silently out the open entrance into the hotel courtyard.

The bright moonlight illuminated the path to the beach, allowing him to follow it with ease. He smiled as the warm breeze brushed his face, bringing with it the scent of the ocean. This was more like it. A short stroll on the beach and he'd be ready for bed in no time.

Simon frowned as he took in a figure sitting alone on the sand, just out of reach of the waves. At this late hour he'd thought to have the beach to himself. He stepped closer and shook his head when he recognized Blair Sandburg's long curly hair falling loosely to his shoulders. He should have known that none of them would be able to sleep, but he had to wonder why Ellison wasn't out here looking for his partner instead of in the lobby arguing with Connor.

His heart felt heavy as he thought about that word. Partner. Did Ellison still consider Sandburg his partner? That was the question, wasn't it? After the miracle Simon had witnessed at the fountain, when Ellison had somehow brought the kid back to life after the paramedics pronounced him dead, he wouldn't have given the question another thought. But, ever since Connor and Sandburg followed them to Sierra Verde, he'd been catching undercurrents of something still not quite right between the two men. Something had happened out in the jungle while Simon wasn't there with them and he had a feeling that it wasn't something good.

Crap. Simon had hated to watch the apparent destruction of the friendship between the two of them over the past few weeks. His father had taught him that men were supposed to be strong and silent, not wear their emotions on their sleeves. His mother, on the other hand, had taught him that the best friend was the one who showed that he cared. He was no relationship counselor, but for once he was going to try to follow his mother's advice.

He halted next to Sandburg and smiled when he looked up at Simon in surprise. "Nice night. Mind if I join you?"

"Hey." Sandburg waved his hand. "Feel free, man."

Simon dropped down onto the sand. He pulled up his knees, circling them with his arms and grasped his left wrist, holding on just tightly enough to be able to rest his knees on the inside of his elbows, supporting the weight of his legs without pushing his arms apart. He gazed out at the restless waves.

"We missed you at dinner." He felt the slight movement next to him as Sandburg shrugged his shoulders.

"I wasn't very hungry. Guess I should have told you that I wouldn't be there. Sorry."

Simon glanced at him. "Did you get something to eat?" Now that he had a chance to think about it, he realized that Sandburg seemed run down. He looked haggard and, even with a new tan acquired from spending the last few days in the sun darkening his skin, Simon could tell that there were shadows under his eyes.

"I'm okay," he said, a vagueness in his voice that Simon didn't like.

"Yeah? Well you look like shit, kid." His voice was gruff. "When was the last time you had a meal?"

"Oh, you know, things have been pretty hectic around here, Simon. Kind of hard to get a regular meal. I've been munching, though."

Simon narrowed his eyes and stared at him. "Quit evading the question. When did you last eat?"

Sandburg ducked his head and mumbled something.

"I couldn't quite catch that," Simon said dryly. "Want to try again?"

"I said, Megan and I had lunch on the plane. That counts as an actual meal, right?" He sighed.

"That's it? Why the hell didn't you come to dinner tonight?" He tried hard, but he couldn't quite keep the exasperated tone out of his voice. He knew he'd made a mistake when Sandburg pushed himself to his feet and glared down at him.

"Geez, Simon, I'm a grown man and you're not my father. I haven't been hungry, okay? I'm sure that at some point I will _be_ hungry and I assure you that I'm capable of finding something to eat when that happens."

"All right, all right. You're right. Just settle down, why don't you?" He forced himself to keep his voice light. "You're my friend, Sandburg, and I'm concerned about you."

Sandburg's eyes closed and he frowned slightly. Simon's breath caught at the misery he saw swimming in the kid's eyes when he finally opened them.

"I'm sorry, Simon. I'm just a little rattled, you know? Contemplating major life changes will do that to you, I guess."

Simon rose and grasped his shoulder. Sandburg's words had sent a chill down his spine and he wasn't going to let him go without finding out what he meant. "Just what kind of changes were you thinking of making?" he asked softly.

"Maybe it's time for me to move on, Simon," he said in a tired voice.

Simon swallowed thickly. "Move on? But, what about Jim? And your dissertation?"

"Yeah. Well, Jim doesn't really need me anymore. Hell, he hasn't zoned in almost six months and, you know, other than a few sensory spikes, he's got the senses pretty much under control."

"And your dissertation?"

"I told Jim almost a year ago that I had enough material then for three dissertations." He gazed over Simon's shoulder and added softly, "Not that it matters."

"Then what about your friendship?"

Sandburg shook his head. "That _is_ what I'm thinking about. I should've taken the hint a couple of months ago when Jim needed to get away by himself. I'm in the way, man. And now there's this whole trust thing that's come between us. I should go before I destroy what little is left of our friendship."

"Damn it, Blair, have you talked to Jim about this? What did he say?"

"Talk to Jim? Oh, sure, Simon. We had tea and conversation just this morning at the Temple ruins." Blair snorted. "You know what it's been like recently--I try to get him to talk about something and we end up in a fight. No, better I figure this out on my own and then let him know what I'm going to do. Look, I'm gonna take a walk. I'll see you in the morning." His eyes pleaded with Simon to let him go.

Simon dropped his hand and watched his friend turn away. Sandburg headed for the packed sand closer to the waves and never looked back. Simon crossed his arms over his chest and frowned out at the ocean. He wanted to go after him, try to assure him that things would be better once they were home. But he also wanted to go back to the hotel and whap Jim Ellison on the head and demand to know just how he planned to fix things with his partner. He narrowed his eyes and turned back to the hotel. At that moment, whapping Ellison upside the head held the greater possibility of personal satisfaction.


End file.
